What My Parents Taught Me
Life is ever changing, it’s beautiful, scary, fulfilling, and tiring all in the same vein. We all learn from life’s daily moments and we respect the grind each day no matter how hard or challenging that day may be.
My parents have made me into who I am today in more ways than one. The amount of sacrifice, servant leadership, and kindness they displayed to me and so many others in life, has taught me to honor and empower others in the same ways they encouraged me every day. I know for a fact that they had many good and extra challenging days when I was growing up. Learning how to navigate a two kid family, save money for life’s unexpected moments, and providing for all of us in the family. The one guarantee that they provided for me every day was a loving heart, a warm family dinner each night, and an opportunity to embrace a growth mindset.
My dad work for the City of Manhattan for 35 years in their water treatment plant. He was an extra hard work not only in his day job but also through raising cattle on our farm. He never complained once about the work he did and the challenges he likely faced each day. He was very supportive in my life and is someone I continue to look up to because of his family leadership.
My mom worked for Kansas State University for 39 years. She was adored by her co-workers, the friendly face of the office, and someone others would always go to for advice or a warm conversation. She taught me the principle of treating others with kindness, selflessly giving back, and never being too big for a conversation.
I’m forever grateful for the life they provided me growing up and to this day. If I were to sum up what I learned from them most, I would say that they most instilled in me the following lessons.
1. Finish what you started – Life is full of moments, tasks, projects, and opportunities to give back to others. My parents taught me to follow through on commitments, stay consistent, and when we start something, make sure we finish it. They also fortified the principle of finishing strong, so anytime I worked on something, it wasn’t enough to finish a task, they also expected me to make a positive impact and quality product. To this day, I always make it a point to produce quality work, be someone who others can rely on to get the job done, and also make sure I’m doing the best work possible for the success of the team and not my own gain. When you finish what you start, others know what they’re getting from you and you become even more respected by those who matter most in your life.
2. Respect others – Growing up, we didn’t necessarily have a direct focus towards diversity, equity, and inclusion that’s as strong as present day, however, I had a great opportunity to attend public grade school, middle school, and high school, with a diverse set of classmates coming from many different backgrounds and households. This helped me to truly understand the value of accepting others for who they were and to not judge them based on their clothing, amount of money they had (or didn’t have), and the personality they presented on the surface. I’ve learned from childhood and throughout life that everyone has something going on in their lives at any moment and they value conversation, being seen and heard, and understood. My parents never judged anyone and would also lend a helping hand through a conversation, donation, or simple kindness. I value everyone I’ve come in contact with during my entire life so far and have my parents to thank for the respect I show others both personally and professionally.
3. Show kindness through selflessly helping others – One of my favorite pastimes was visiting my mom’s office when I was growing up. Initially it was to use her computer’s internet, get special treats, and have a special lunch. Over time, what I learned from visiting her office was the selfless and caring nature that my mom exhibited with others. All of her co-workers knew her on a first name basis and would come to her for amazing conversations, a moment to be seen and heard, and because she would also find ways to give back to help them in ways that weren’t necessarily on her job description. She worked hard and looked out for the success of others around her. I never heard her ever utter a word of disrespect or unkindness to others. She also never complained about her job status at work and potentially missing out on promotions. Her mission was to serve others and give back to meet their needs always. I’ve modeled that philosophy throughout my life and even today by serving others in the workplace, being there to show kindness through a conversation, and also identifying ways to motivate and inspire others.
The moments we remember in life aren’t the things we buy, the amount of trophies we earn, and aren’t even close to the amount of friends that we strive to attain. What matters most in life is how we treat others, the opportunities we find to give back and serve them in more ways than required in life, and respecting people for who they are and not what you think they should be. My challenge to you this week is to be proud of where you came from, thank those who taught you lessons that you continue to practice today, and find ways to pass along your encouragement and advice going forward!
Keep growing and know that I truly believe in you!
Ryan